Shaving machine



May 19, 1942. J. H. COHEN SHAVING MACHINE Filed June 10, 1938- INVENTOR Josey/(H Caize ATTO Patented May 19, 1942 SHAVING MACHINE Joseph H. Cohen, Bridgeport, Coma, asaignor to Casco Products Corporation, Bridgeport, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application June 10, 1938, Serial No. 212,861

12 Claims.

This invention relates to electric shavers of the type in which there is an outer slotted member and an inner member cooperating therewith to cut off hairs projecting through the slots.

In devices of this type, theouter member is usually removable therefrom for cleaning, re-

placement and the like. The inner member, co-

operating with the outer member during the cutting operation, has been either secured to the drive shaft, which makes the device hard to assemble and disassemble to clean, or, in other forms of these devices, the blade has been loosely coupled to the shaft and urged into engagement with the outer member. Upon removal of the outer member for cleaning, the blade, being urged, outwardly of the device, would drop out of the device and become separated. When it was desired to reassemble the outer member, it was necessary to hold the inner member in position against the urge to move outwardly and then quickly move the outer member thereover before it could slip out of the device to hold it in place.

An object of the present invention is to provide a shaving device equipped with means for preventing the inner member, which is urged into engagement with the outer member, from dropping ofl and separating from the device when the outer member is removed.

Another object of the present invention is to make the inner member, which includes the cutter blade and means for urging it outwardly, as a complete unit. The unit is preferably frictionally held. on the drive shaft so that it can be readily removed therefrom as a unit, when desired, without the use of tools.

A feature of the invention is the mounting of the cutter blade on the unit by means of a coupling device which floatingly supports the blade so that it can shift laterally of the unit and aual of the head or outer member, against which the blade bears. v

The blade of the present invention preferably is formed from a flat blank of sheet metal with the cutting edges turned up so as to extend above the plane of the blank and be radially disposed about the blank in uniform spaced relation.

According to the present invention. the blade preferably has integrally formed thereon a plurality of vanes, set at a proper angle to draw air in through the apertures of the outer member and blow it and hair clippings out of the casing through suitable holes provided therein and thereby keep the device clean and cool.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification and claims when considered with the drawing, in

which:

Figure 1 shows a side view of the device with the head end thereof in longitudinal section.

Fig. 2 shows a top plan view of the device. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the face of the head removed showing the position oi the blades within the head member.

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the cutter unit.

Fig. 5 is an assembled view of the cutter unit. The present invention isillustrated as applied to a shaving machine having a body Ill containing a source of power, usually in the form of an 30. electric motor, having a drive shaft II and hav- 85 hollow and circular, and has a face portion [6 and side wall portion IT. The annular margin of the face portion I6 is provided with slots I8 arranged radially in the form herein illustrated, and these slots extend through the adjacent side tomatically centralize itself with respect to the Wall Portion t headouter member and properly position the cutting surfaces in cooperative relation with the slots therein.

The blade is mounted on the unit so that it into contact with the head. When thehead is removed from the shaving machine to be cleaned or replaced, the blade will be prevented from separating from the unit and dropping there- Within the head and casing and cooperating ably supported by the casing l2 and secured to the drive shaft II to be rotated thereby. The. can be moved outwardly therealong and is urged cutter unit is readily attached to the drive shaft f by a sleeve 2| having its lower portion split as at 22, and forming a friction grip for the end of the drive shaft. The unit can be quickly removed therefrom without the use of tools when desired.

from, as it did in prior constructions, by means The upper end of the sleeve is of reduced diamon the unit engaging the blade and limiting the outward movement thereof. This limiting means will not interfere with the normal action of the means urging the blade into engagement with the head, but win b operative only upon remov- 26 provided with a central aperture 21, similar ete'r, as shown at 23, forming a shoulder 24. The extreme end of the reduced portion of the sleeve is formed with flat sides 25, as shown. in Figs. 3 and 4, and receives a coupling member in shape to the fiat end of the sleeve through which the end of the sleeve projects to form a driving connection between the coupling member and sleeve. The aperture, however, is large enough to permit the coupling member to have free sliding movement along the sleeve.

When the coupling member is in position on the sleeve, it supports a cutter blade mounted on the unit and generally indicated at 3| and forms a. driving connection therefor. The drive is effected by the engagement of portions of the cutter blade with the coupling member which is provided with upstanding side walls 28 provided with openings 29 therein through which portions of the cutter blade project.

To permit the cutter blade to automatically centralize itself in the outer circular head when the head is applied to the casing, the blade is fioatingly disposed in the coupling member whereby it can shift to assume its proper relation with the head.

In the preferred form of the invention, the cutter blade Si is provided with a circular center section 32 having a central aperture 33 and three outwardly extending arms 34 uniformly spaced therearound and projecting therefrom so as to extend through the slots 29 in the side wall of the coupling member. The outer ends of the arms are provided with integrally upturned cutting surfaces 35 disposed on a radial line from the center of the cutter blade and in a position to engage the inner surface of the head or outer member to cooperate with the slots iii to cut the hair extending therethrough.

As shown in Fig. 3, the coupling member is larger than the central section 32 of the cutter blade which it engages. The central aperture 33 of the cutter blade, through which the'reduced end of the sleeve extends, is slightly larger than the sleeve and permits limited lateral shifting movement of the blade on the coupling member. When the head is positioned on the shaving device with the cutter unit in place, the blade due to contacting the wall of the head at uniformly spaced points, will shift laterally and become automatically centralized with respect to the head.

The cutter blade is normally urged outwardly of the cutter unit into a position in which the cutting surfaces engage the inner surface of the outer member or head so as to always be in cutting relation with the inner edges of the slots or apertures therein. In the preferred form of the invention, the blade is urged into this position by means of a spring 31 surrounding the reduced portion 23 of the sleeve 2 l. One end of the spring abuts against the washer 3B resting against the shoulder 24 on the sleeve, and the other end abuts against the undersurface of the coupling member and normally urges it and the cutter blade carried thereby longitudinally of the sleeve.

When the head is in position on the shaving device, the spring holding the blade in engagement therewith is under compression. To prevent the spring from moving the blade to a position wherein it will be disconnected from the cutter unit when the head is removed, a limit stop is provided. Thestop will also hold the blade in place when the outer member is being located on the device so that it will not be necessary to hold the blade against the urge of the spring during this operation as in prior devices. In the preferred form of the invention, a screw 39, having a large head 40, is threaded into the end of the cutter unit which projects through the coupling member and blade with the large head extending over and engaging the cutter blade when the same is moved outwardly by the spring to limit its outward movement. The screw, however, is disposed in such a position that it will not in any way interfere with the movement of the blade into operative relation with the slots in the head when it is in place.

The cutter blade of the present invention preferably is stamped from a fiat blank of sheet metal. After the blank has been formed, the cutting surfaces are bent substantially perpendicular to the plane of the blank and are so disposed that they lie on lines radially of the center of the blank. These cutting edges are disposed on one side of the arm 84 adjacent the end thereof.

In shaving devices of prior constructions, difficulty was encountered in the cutting surfaces becoming clogged with the clipped hair and it was necessary to frequently disassemble the device to remove the hair. With the device of the present invention, the clipped hair is removed from the cutting surfaces by a flow of air created by a plurality of vanes 42 formed on the cutting blade to rotate therewith. The vanes are so disposed with respect to the cutting head that they will cause a stream of air to be drawn in through the slots l8 in the head and flow out of the openings 44 in the casing, taking the clipped hair with it.

The cutting blade, being pressed against the head by the spring 31 and rotating at a relatively high speed, will generate a heat due to the friction between these parts. The head, being placed against the surface of the face, will become heated and, unless some means is provided for cooling. the same may become uncomfortable. According to the present invention. the fiow of air, created by the vanes 42, will flow past the head and cutting surfaces and will remove the heat therefrom so that they will remain cool during operation.

Variations and. modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. In a shaving machine for personal use comprising a stationary disk having narrow hair-receiving slots; a skirt depending from said disk; a driving shaft; an inner member comprising a cutter blade having a plurality of spaced cutting edges to cooperate with the undersurface of the stationary disk to shear oil. hairs extending therethrough, said cutting blade having an aperture therein whereby it is mounted on the driving shaft for limited lateral shifting movement in all directions to centralize the blade relative to the disk; and means for coupling the cutter member to the drive shaft for rotation therewith. 1

2. A shaving machine for personal use comprising a stationary disk having narrow hair-receiving slots extending therethrough; a drive shaft; an inner member comprising a unitary cutter blade having a plurality of radially extending cutting surfaces; a coupling member driven by the drive shaft and connecting the cutter blade to the drive shaft to be rotated thereby, said cutter member being fioatingly supported by the coupling member for limited lateral movement thereby permitting the same to rotate about an axis coincident with the center of said disk; means for urging the cutting surfaces into cooperative relation with the undersurface of the stationary disk to cut hair extending therethrough; and means for preventing separation of the coupling member and cutter blade..-

3. A shaving machine for personal use comprising a disk having narrow hair-receiving slots; a driving shaft; and an inner member having shearing edges to cooperate with the undersurface of the outer member to shear off hairs extending therethrough, said innermember comprising a cutter member having a plurality of spaced radially disposed shearing surfaces integral therewith, a sleeve on which the cutter member is loosely and slidingly mounted to move toward the outer member, said sleeve slidingly and frictionally engaging said drive shaft to be supported and driven thereby,'means for coupling ,the cutter member to the sleeve for rotation therewith, said coupling being loose to permit lateral movement of the cutter member sufficient to centralize the shearing surfaces relative to the disk, means between the sleeve and the cutter member for yieldingly urging the latter against the undersurface of the outer member, and means for limitingthe outward movement of the cutter member by the last-named means.

4. A shaving device comprising a stationary disk having an' annular series of substantially radial, narrow and closely spaced hair-receiving slots extending therethrough at the periphery thereof; a drive shaft; a cutter member having a plurality of radially disposed shearingsurfaces integral therewith cooperating with the undersurface of the slotted portion of the disk to shear off hair extending therethrough; a guard wall depending from said disk and surrounding said,

cutter member; meansgfor coupling said cutter member to said shaft for rotation therewith, said means permitting the cutter member limited latdisk having an annular series of substantially radial narrow hair-receiving slots extending therethrough at the periphery thereof; a cutter member having a plurality of spaced radially disposed shearing surfaces; a drive shaft; means for coupling said cutter member to said shaft for rotation therewith, said means including means for supporting said cutter member for limited lateral movement relative to said shaft; means on said disk for laterally moving said cutter member for aligning and guiding said outter member so, that the shearing surfaces thereof move in a circular path coincident withthe annular series of slots extending through the disk; and means for resiliently holding said shearing surfaces in engagement with the undersurface of the slotted portion of the disk to shear off hair extending therethrough.

6. A shaving device comprising a stationary disk having an annular series of substantially radial slots extending therethrough about the periphery thereof; a skirt depending therefrom; a cutter member; a drive shaft; a coupler sleeving said drive shaft; a carrier for said cutter member carried by said coupler means for holding said cutter member to said carrier, said means cooperating with said carrier to permit the cutter member limited lateral movement relative to said shaft; and radially disposed shearing surfaces rigidly connected to said cutter member and presenting surfaces engageable with the interior surface of said skirt whereby said shearing surfaces are guided and moved in a circular path coincident with the undersurface of the annular slotted portion of said disk.

7. A shaving device comprising a stationary disk having an annular series of substantially radial, narrow and closely spaced hair-receiving slots extending therethrough about the periphery thereof; a skirt depending from said disk; a drive shaft; a cutter memberhaving a plurality of radially disposed shearing surfaces integral therewith; a coupling member removably secured to said shaft for rotation therewith; and separate means for securing said cutter member to said coupling membensaid means permitting limited movement of the cutter member laterally and longitudinally with respect to the shaft, the permitted lateral movement allowing the shearing surfaces to orient themselves and move upon r0- tation in a circular path coincident with the undersurface of the annular series of slots extending through said disk, the longitudinal movement permitting the shearing surfaces to be moved into contact with the slotted portion of the disk to shear ofl hair extending therethrough.

8. In a shaving device having an outer apertured shear plate; a rotatable inner cutter comprising a central member disposed in substantially parallel relation with said shear plate having outwardly projecting radial arms integral therewith; fingers fixedly carried by and extending from the upper face of each of said arms and presenting spaced radially disposed shearing surfaces adapted to cooperate with the undersurface of said apertured disk; and integral vanes provided on said arms adjacent said fingers for creating a flow of air to blow the cut hair from the device upon rotation of said cutter member.

9. In a shaving device comprising a stationary disk having a series of substantially radial, narrow andclosely spaced slots extending therethrough at the periphery thereof; a cutter member having a plurality of radially disposed shearing surfaces integral therewith cooperating with the undersurface of the slotted portion of the disk; a skirt depending from said disk and surrounding said cutter member; a drive shaft; means for coupling said cutter member to the drive shaft for rotation therewith, said means including a sleeve frictionally receiving the end of the drive shaft to be driven therewith; and a 7 carrier member slidablymounted on the sleeve and rotatable therewith, the carrier member supporting said cutter member for rotation therewith and permitting limited lateral movement of the cutter member relative to the shaft whereby the cutter member in cooperation with said skirt may align itself relative to the stationary disk.

10. In a shaving device comprising a stationary disk having a series of substantially radial, narrow and closely spaced slots extending therethrough at the periphery thereof; a cutter member having a plurality of radially disposed shearing surfaces integral therewith cooperating with the undersurface of the slotted portion of the disk; a drive shaft; means for coupling said outter member to the drive shaft for-rotation therewith, said means including a sleeve frictionally receiving the end of the. drive shaft to be driven therewith; a carrier member slidably mounted on the sleeve and rotatable therewith, the cutter member being supported on said carrier member for rotation therewith and for slidingmovement with said carrier member longitudinally of the sleeve; means for preventing'relative longitudinal movement between said carrier member and cutter member but permitting lateral movement of the cutter member relative to said carrier memher; and means on the disk cooperable with said shearing surfaces for guiding the latter in a circular path coincident with the undersurface of the annular series of slots extending through the disk.

11. In a shaving device, a circular skin-contacting shear plate; a guard skirt depending from said shear plate; a unitary cutter member having a plurality of integral radially disposed shearing edges engaging the undersurface of said shear plate; a drive shaft; means 101- coupling said cutter member to said drive shaft for rotation therewith, said means permitting limited lateral movement of said cutter member relative to said shaft; and cooperating means on said cutter member and guard skirt ior laterally shifting said cutter member to cause the same to rotate about an axis coincident with the center of said circular shear plate.

-12. In a shaving device having an outer apertured shear plate; a rotatable inner cutter comprising a flat plate-like central member having a plurality oi outwardly projecting substantially T-shaped arms, the leading edge or the head of the T of each of the arms extending upwardly at an angle to the plane 01 the central member and presenting spaced radially disposed shearing surfaces adapted to cooperate with the undersurrace of said apertured disk; and the trailing edge of the head of the T or each or the arms extending downwardly at an angle to the plane of the central member and forming vanes for creating a flow of air to blow the cut hair from the device upon rotation of the cutter member with respect to the shear plate.

JOSEPH H. COHEN. 

